The case of the polar bear family shot in June at Austfjordneset has been matter of this blog in two previous articles (click here for the first one and here for the second one).
The verdict of the public prosecutor in Tromsø has now been published. The shooter has got a fine of 20,000.00 NOK (just above 2100 Euro) because of negligence (“uaktsomhet”). The man has accepted the fine, the verdict is accordingly in force.
Polar bear family shot at Austfjordneset – Course of action
The polar bear mother and her cub had been around the hut already for a while, when the shooter wanted to scare her away with a rubber bullet. The the weapon, probably a pump-action shotgun, was loaded with a mixture of sharp ammunition and rubber bullets. The shooter did not know exactly how the weapon was loaded and fired a sharp cartridge rather than a rubber bullet, killing the polar bear mother instead of scaring her away with a harmless hit.
There was no acute danger to human life during the situation, as the shooter was on the roof of the cabin and the second person inside.
Both trappers are back on Austfjordneset and will continue their wintering. A few days ago, another polar bear that could not be scared away from the station area had been tranquilized and flown out to Nordaustland by the authorities.
Polar bear family at Nordenskiöldbreen (archive image, September 2012).
This and other publishing products of the Spitsbergen publishing house in the Spitsbergen-Shop.
Norwegens arktischer Norden (1): Spitzbergen
Photobook: Norway's arctic islands. The text in this book is German. [shop url="https://shop.spitzbergen.de/en/polar-books/70-norwegens-arktischer-norden-1-aerial-arctic-9783937903262.html"] ← Back
Lofoten, Jan Mayen and Spitsbergen from the air - Photobook: Norway's arctic islands. The text in this book is German, but there is very little text, so I am sure that you will enjoy it regardless which languages you read (or not).
The companion book for the Svalbardhytter poster. The poster visualises the diversity of Spitsbergen‘s huts and their stories in a range of Arctic landscapes. The book tells the stories of the huts in three languages.
Comprehensive guidebook about Spitsbergen. Background (wildlife, plants, geology, history etc.), practical information including travelling seasons, how to travel, description of settlements, routes and regions.
Join an exciting journey with dog, skis and tent through the wintery wastes of East Greenland! We were five guys and a dog when we started in Ittoqqortoormiit, the northernmost one of two settlements on Greenland’s east coast.
12 postcards which come in a beautifully designed tray. Beautiful images from South Georgia across Antarctica from the Antarctic Peninsula to the Ross Sea and up to Macquarie Island and Campbell Island.